lovers and beloveds

The Heart – Volume Two has just been released and can be found on Amazon. w00t! I have two more volumes planned for release over the next few weeks — The Funny and The Horror. Go to my fan page on Facebook and vote for which volume you’d like to see released first. So far, The Funny is winning — consider this a once in a lifetime chance to tell me what to do. Heh.

I love book readers. I mean, I really, really love book readers. And when those book readers take the time out to not only read my book, but take extra time out to write up a review, my love turns to adoration. Many thanks to Maria Violante for this review of Athena’s Promise.

Book reviewers, word-of-mouth, sharing links — we indies could not do anything without our readers. I really appreciate every single Tweet, link, like, share, and review. Thank you all!

Now, here are some personal recommendations if you’re looking for some great material to read:

Patti Larsen’s first novel in the Hayle Coven series is FREE today! Go download a copy of Family Magic and meet Sydlynn Hayle. She’s a riot.

The much anticipated sequel to Lovers and Beloveds has been released — MeiLin Miranda’sSon in Sorrow is now available not only on Amazon but also at MeiLin’s website, released in a serial format. Excellent reading — she will blow your little brain. She did mine.

If you’re looking for well-written erotica, you can do no better than Fall Into Winter by Eden Baylee. What’s even more exciting is I have it on good authority she’s preparing a second volume for release in the next couple of months. Stay tuned!

Some of us aren’t missing the Walking Dead, and that’s due in large part to stories like Monsters Unmasked by Lori Whitwam. Fabulous story, set in the universe created by Joshua Guess, Lori shows us a dark and chilling perspective of how something like a zombie apocalypse brings out the worst (and best!) of people. Great read.

Finally, if you are a fan of The Hunger Games, you can’t miss Marooned. P.J. Druce has created an amazing protagonist in Punk Jordan and a story to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Yeeehaw! Okay, it’s not that kind of round-up. There are no cows or bulls, no ropes and no manure (although that might be a matter of opinion). What I thought I’d do is re-introduce you to some of the Fabulous Fiction Peeps I’ve had the honor to host on this blog.

Next up is an interview with Jeremy C. Shipp. I think he had the best answer I’ve ever heard about the future of publishing. Although I haven’t done a review of “Cursed” yet, it is on my list. Which is about as long as my left leg, right now. *sigh*

Of course, I have a soft spot for editors, and I have two I’ve interviewed here. First is the “Goddess of Flash”, Esther Schrader, the Editor-in-Chief for Flashshot. Second is the Mad Aussie, aka Matthew Glenn Ward. In addition to his editor duties (although Skive has been regretfully retired) he found time to compose his novel, John F. Kennedy Lives in the Future! and is one of my favorite people.

Podcasting is a fast-growing portion of the fiction market, and to that end I wanted a word or two with Kate Sherrod who also composes some brilliant sonnets in her spare time. Besides the podcast point of view, Kate is A Very Interesting Person, and you can read the fascinating interview here.

Quite a stellar line-up, if I do say so myself. Every one of these artists are hardworking, dedicated, twisted, demented and brilliantly talented. The have all inspired me in different ways to become better at my chosen career, they have offered hope that it can be done and lead by example. These guys don’t just talk the talk, people, they walk the walk. Every one has marched to their own beat and represents a different aspect of the writing journey. I hope you enjoy the interviews as much as I did conducting them.Find your own drum. This one's mine.

As you can see, I’ve been re-vamping the site due to a server move. It’s still a work in process, and it’s eaten up my time this week like I eat Peanut M&Ms when I’m stressed. Still, I was fortunate enough to catch up with MeiLin and ask her some interesting questions about her experiences as an indie writer and publisher. Take notes, my poppets, because this woman is a dynamo. Not only talented and smart as a whip (heh!), she’s got a handle on this indie publishing monster and you would do very well to study what she’s done and emulate it. Lovers and Beloveds is a ripping good tale, and is not only available in serial form, updated twice a week, but also as an e-book in several formats and hardcopy due mid-October.

It started as a serial daydream I’d tell myself—the story of Warin and Emmae. I read a Neil Gaiman quote to the effect that daydreams were perfectly good story ideas, which astounded me. Foolish writer, I’d never considered such a thought. So I started with that.

Later I gave it to a good friend to read who’s a sociologist, and she started asking me all these questions! What was the society like around them, who were these people, what languages did they speak, what was the relationship between their two countries, and on and on! I found I enjoyed answering her questions, and the next thing I knew, there were Temmin, Teacher and the Greater Kingdom of Tremont and Litta. (She’s still asking pesky questions, by the way, and I’m still enjoying answering them.)

2. What would you say is the most difficult aspect of writing a serial for the web?

There’s the obvious answer: You’re meeting a weekly, or usually more-than-weekly, deadline. At its height I was writing a 2,000 word update three times a week.

But for me, what’s been hardest is figuring out when you’ve got a serial and when you’ve got a novel. Halfway through what I thought was book three of the History I realized I did not have a serial; I could not sustain the story through ten years of this young man’s life at the pace we were going. I had to start over, and I lost a substantial chunk of audience in the process. They’re coming back as the word is spreading that I’m back, but I think a lot of those who aren’t coming back may not realize that this is a very different story; they think it’s a line edit of the original and they’re not going to come back until I get to what they think is the end of book three. By the time I’m on the real book three, we’re going to be years past the end of what I thought was book three. They’ll miss a lot of story.

But I digress.

The other hard thing is that a lot of the time you’re writing first draft/last draft. Right now, the History is serializing in its final form. It’s the best I could do with that story. But my current serial “Scryer’s Gulch,” a work that can be sustained long term and open ended, is first draft/last draft; sometimes it really shows, embarrassingly so. I usually finish it, give it a quick polish, and post it within an hour or less of finishing it. It’s stated at the top that in the grand tradition of the soap opera it’s fd/ld and any plot holes will be explained away—no do-overs. So you gets what you get with the Gulch.

3. What makes your site unique among the other serial webfic sites on the Internet?

Oh gods, I don’t know. Probably the community that’s formed around it. I have amazing readers, really an erudite, funny, charming, wonderful group of people. Very little in the way of flames, supportive of me and each other, but not fawning.

A bunch went to Webcomics Weekend, I think it was last year, as a group and handed out fliers for me; I was told later by some artists that I have an extremely good-looking fan base. So there’s that, too.

4. What is the one thing that has surprised you the most about your audience?

That I have one.

5. Name the most important thing an aspiring writer should invest in regarding their work.

Time with the keyboard and/or pen, and editing. Accept constructive criticism with grace, not defensiveness. Where you’re defensive, you’re very probably wrong. That doesn’t mean the criticism’s always going to be right; I ignored some things my editor said as well as my beta group. I was right and they were wrong on those points. But they were more right than wrong on the whole—far more so.

6. Where do you see the direction of publishing as a whole headed?

I see the Big Six continuing to insist that they’re selling paper, not books. I see them continue to overprice ebooks. This opens up huge opportunities for independent writers, and for midlist authors to take their pulped-and-forgotten back catalog and make some dough. JA Konrath is not that unusual; he’s no more a fluke than any successful traditionally published writer is. This is a tough business, always has been.

7. What is the most valuable writing advice you’ve ever received?

Read, and when you read something you love, pick it to shreds and figure out how the writer did it. That, and write what you love: if you love mysteries, write mysteries. If you love literary fiction, write that. I love fantasy and Victoriana, so that’s what I write.

Oh gods. Well, I’ve begun book two of IHGK, which is tentatively titled “Mothers and Fathers.” I have it outlined, and longtime fans will have their little minds blown, I’ll tell you that much. If you think you know what happens, oh boy, you so do not.

Over at the Gulch, my plans are to keep the goings-on good and soapy. I’m working on a piece about genial Deputy and hapless werecritter Rabbit Runnels for an anthology. Just got a handle on it this morning.

9. If there was one thing you could do over again in this process, what would it be and why?

I would have taken myself more seriously earlier. It would have saved me, I think, from conceiving the History as a serial.

10. I know this is like choosing a favorite child, but who is your favorite character of all your written works?

Oh boy. I have to say Temmin. He’s such a goon. He’s handsome, intelligent, and can be quite charming when he feels like it–and he’s a complete dope. Because he’s eighteen and that’s how teenagers roll.

I’m also very fond of Maleen Polls, a madam from IHGK, and the resident Gulch madam, the demon Mamzelle. Apparently I have a thing for madams. But that’s three, not one! I love them all, really, even the super bad guys like Hildin.

Many thanks to MeiLin for answering my nosy questions! The hardcover is available for pre-order here, and if you prefer your books in an ebook format, MeiLin has made options available to you at this link. Of course, you can always visit her site every Monday and Friday for the latest chapter.

Yes, it’s been a while, but since I’ve been gone a lot of things have happened. This time of year seems to race by for me, and I’m sure that has something to do with the anniversary of Momma’s death. At the same time all that was going on, two years ago, an actual miracle occurred and we celebrate it every year on this day. This is the day my first grandchild, now and forever known as “Muffin”, was born. He missed meeting his Great-Grammy by less than three weeks.

Although some people may think his birth date is unfortunate, I don’t see it that way. He is such a special child – beautiful, funny, and very loving. He brings such light and joy to everyone around him, I can’t help but think he was sent to us for several reasons – I know without him, it’s very likely I would not have survived my momma’s passing. Does that sound dramatic? Too bad, it’s how I feel.

Anyway, Happy Birthday to my beloved Muffin! Noni loves you, and I know Great-Grammy keeps a close eye on you and loves you too. Have fun today, bubbe, and eat cake! Lots and lots of delicious cake!

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Onward, ever onward. I have also just completed a move, and I want to say for the record I absolutely despise moving, and I’m hoping I don’t ever have to do it again. I’m still shaking the dust out, sorting through some stuff and waiting to get internet hook-up. In the meantime, I am lucky enough to have a Borders not two minutes from my house, which means free wi-fi, delicious coffee, and all the people watching I can stand. Which is funny, if you know me, because I have become pretty much a hermit. Now, I am forced to go out every day and interact with….people.

This is not necessarily a bad thing for me. Oh, don’t get me wrong – I love people, but typically I like them better at a distance, heh. I am normally rather introverted, not an uncommon trait for writers as I understand it, but it does me good to get out and about on a regular basis. I guess. (I think the jury is still out on that.) I have observed some very interesting people from my little corner, not the least a group of men who meet every day to discuss the philosophical angles of Batman. Yes, you heard me. Long story. Heh.

The beauty of freelancing is you can work from anywhere. I love my job.

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Additionally, I have tried to make some major improvements to my diet. I know this probably isn’t very interesting – who doesn’t go through phases of trying to improve their diet? – but really, I’m not getting any younger and this sedentary life of a writer is not really conducive to good health. Forgetting to eat and grabbing any old thing is not working for me anymore, if it ever did, so I decided to pay more attention to what’s on my plate and eating at regular intervals. So far, so good.

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And, the big news is, I finally finished Chapter 22 and I don’t hate it. The end is in sight. Which is scary-exhilarating. As a matter of fact, I spent most of the night tossing and turning and dreaming about Chapter 23, which I will be attacking as soon as paying work is caught up. The working title is “Athena’s Promise”, and I’ve even made notes about Book II, as yet unnamed.

Three of the craft books I edited have made it live, and I’m excited about that. The publisher seems to be pleased with my work, and has indicated more work is on the way, which is very satisfying. Since I was last here, my story, “The Blood is Not Enough” was published in the August edition of Skive Magazine, which was a thrill beyond words. I love that story and was thrilled it found a home. Go on! It’s a free download

Even more exciting than that, a project I’d worked on for over a year is finally released. MeiLin Miranda’s “Lovers and Beloveds” has been released as an Ebook, and can be found in serialized form. The hard copy comes out October 15, and I am so, so thrilled about this. The Ebook is only $3.99, and it is a ripping good yarn, and I’m not just saying that because I was the editor. Magic, history, eroticism – this book has it all. MeiLin was a dream client – we worked so well together, and I’m looking forward to working with her on the next book. As an indie, she really has impressed me with her drive, her work ethic, and her determination. She really is an inspiration to me.

So go – pick up the book. You won’t be sorry, I promise.

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I intended this entry to cover a very different topic, but you know how it is when you open up a blank document and start typing. You just never know what’s going to come out. This is the update, and we’ll talk about something more interesting the next time around, I promise.